This Week In History

Bell "Invents" The Telephone

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first call on an electromagnetic telephone he had built, and went on to make a fortune after claiming his telephone was an original invention. Evidence now suggests, however, that Italian inventor Antonio Meucci had already invented the electromagnetic telephone in 1871. Meucci couldn't find the money to develop his invention though, and it was soon forgotten after Bell announced his own "invention". In 2001 the U.S. Congress passed a resolution recognizing "the contributions of Antonio Meucci in the invention of the telephone".

Wordcheckerinvent (verb): design and create something completely newelectromagnetic (adjective): relating to electric currents and magnetic fields fortune (noun): a lot of moneyclaim (verb): state or say that something is true, often without evidenceresolution (noun): a formal expression of opinion or intentioncontribution (noun): the part someone plays in making something happen Italian-born Antonio Meucci (1808-1889), is considered by many to be the real inventor of the telephone.

Quick Quiz:

Electromagnetic telephones were built and tested in the 1870's by

Alexander Graham Bell

Antonio Meucci

Alexander Graham Bell and Antonio Meucci

Evidence now suggests that the first electromagnetic telephone was invented by